Calling all apprentices... Wokingham Borough Council needs you!

The advantages of an apprenticeship at Wokingham Borough Council are being highlighted in a number of events to mark National Apprenticeship Week, 5 March to 9 March.

Some of the borough council’s current apprentices are due to be sharing their experiences of their apprenticeships, on Monday 5 March, at a stall in the main reception in Shute End, from noon to 2pm.

On Wednesday 7 March, representatives from the borough council, we will also be at the Bracknell and Wokingham College Apprenticeship Careers Fair, between 10am and 6pm, to provide more information, and encourage more people to consider this pathway.

A member of staff, who has previously successful completed an apprenticeship with Wokingham Borough Council, will also be representing the council at an awards event in Twickenham on Friday 9 March. The event, organised by Hawk Training, is an opportunity for partners to celebrate their successes and share their experiences. . Hawk Training provides training for the council’s IT and business administration apprenticeships.

A number of existing apprentices will also be taking part in job swaps with managers within the council. This means the apprenticeships will shadow senior managers to learn more about what they do, while the managers shadow their apprentices to gain an insight into their role and experiences.

“I chose an apprenticeship after struggling to find a job that really suited me,” said Aaron, who is currently doing an apprenticeship as an apprentice technical support officer. “A friend recommended I look at Wokingham Borough Council’s apprenticeships. I was offered a role and have never looked back.

“I absolutely love the role, and have learnt and achieved so much. It’s definitely improved my self-esteem beyond what I could have ever imagined. As somebody who is also hearing impaired, the council have always gone above and beyond to provide me with additional support and make sure I have all the resources I need for my apprenticeship. I feel like as employers they’ve really given me the chance to succeed and would love to eventually move into a managerial role.”

This is the 11th National Apprenticeship Week. It aims to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, business and the wider economy, and encourage more people to choose them as a pathway to a great career.

At Wokingham Borough Council, apprenticeships are open throughout the organisation to all ages and ability.

Councillor Julian McGhee-Sumner, executive member for finance, 21st century council, internal services and human resources said: “An apprenticeship is a genuine job, with training, which allows people of all ages to earn while they learn and gain a nationally recognised qualification and invaluable experience. We already offer a range of different apprenticeships at Wokingham Borough Council open to almost everybody and hope to deliver even more. I hope more people consider an apprenticeship as a great career opportunity.”